民政部官员说，“法轮大法”不是宗教

　　中国民政部官员1999年７月２３日指出，中国宪法规定公民有宗教信仰自由，并保护正常的宗教活动，但李洪志的“法轮大法”不是宗教。

　　民政部民间组织管理局局长吴忠泽在国务院新闻办举行的中外记者招待会上说，中华人民共和国宪法第三十六条规定，公民有宗教信仰自由，国家保护正常的宗教活动。

　　但他指出：“李洪志的‘法轮大法’不是宗教，而是抄袭气功功法和宗教词汇，加入许多迷信狂言而拼凑起来的歪理邪说。”

　　中国《社会团体登记管理条例》规定：成立社会团体应当进行登记，社会团体必须遵守宪法、法律、法规和国家政策，不得反对宪法确立的基本原则，不得损害国家利益、社会公共利益以及其它组织和公民的合法权益，不得违背社会道德风尚。

　　吴忠泽说：“李洪志所编造的‘法轮大法’以及他非法成立的‘法轮大法研究会’进行了很多非法活动，比如宣扬宗教迷信，蒙骗群众，制造事端，破坏社会稳定等，给社会造成很大危害。”

　　“所以民政部依据《社会团体登记管理条例》，认定法轮大法研究会及其操纵的法轮功组织是非法组织，决定予以取缔，”吴忠泽说。

　　Wu Zhongze: Falun Dafa isn't religion

　　Wu Zhongze, director of the Civil Affairs Ministry's Civil Organization Administration, reiterated that freedom of belief in religion is protected by the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, except Falun Gong for it isn't religion.

　　He said normal practitioners of qigong and other physical exercises will be allowed to continue if they follow the law.

　　"China's Constitution protects the freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities," he said, adding that the Falun Gong, founded by Li Hongzhi, just "copies some skills of qigong exercises and religious phrases," which were patched together with some superstitious thinking.

　　He said the Regulations on the Registration and Management of Mass Organizations stipulates that mass organizations should be registered and that their activities shall abide by the constitution, laws, regulations and policies of the country.

　　"The organizations should not violate fundamental principles of the constitution, jeopardize the interests of the nation or the people, or the interests of other organizations and citizens," he said.

　　However, the Research Society of Falun Dafa, also founded by Li Hongzhi, has engaged in unlawful activities by advocating superstition and spreading fallacies, hoodwinking people, inciting and creating disturbances, and undermining social stability, Wu said.

　　The ministry listed four major reasons for banning Falun Gong.

　　"The Research Society of Falun Dafa headed by Li Hongzhi has not registered with competent authorities according to the law and it has engaged in illegal activities," said the minister.

　　He also accused Li Hongzhi and his Falun Dafa of having advocated superstition and malicious fallacies and of deceiving people and harming their physical and mental health.

　　(China Daily, July 24, 1999)